Trauma, Attachment, Resilience into Action

The TARA Project is a research partnership between Dublin South Central (DSC), TUSLA, Child and Family Agency and University College Cork.

Project Aim

The overarching aim of this partnership is to integrate trauma-informed practices across the service area of DSC, one Area of TUSLA to support practice in responding to the complex needs of children and their families.

Project Methodology

The project commenced October 2022. The project will span for 3 years involving two phases. 

• Phase 1: The project evaluated the effects of Trauma-informed care professional education on practitioner outcomes in the DSC Area (2022-2023). Ethical approval was received from SREC, University College Cork and the Tusla Independent Ethics Committee for Phase One ( 2022-2023).
• Phase 2: The project will carry out an implementation study, using a community participatory approach to improve child welfare practices by co created trauma-informed practices and integrate these into existing processes within the services of DSC Area (2024-2026).

Project Reports (Phase 1)

Lotty, M., Kearns, N., O’Shea, T. and Frederico, M. (2023). ‘Examining the effects of Graduate Trauma-informed Practice Education on Child Welfare Professionals’. Adult Continuing Education, University College Cork. Accessible at: Tara Project Phase 1 Report

Link to UCC Programme evaluated in Phase 1: Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in Trauma-informed Care: Theory and Practice Cert | University College Cork | Cork | Ireland (ucc.ie)

Launch of the TARA Project Phase 1 Research Report: Examining the effects of Graduate Trauma-informed Practice Education on Child Welfare Professionals (March 19, 2024) hosted by ISS21. For a recording of the launch, please email m.scanlon@ucc.ie 

The TARA Project Awards Ceremony (2024, February, 9) Aula Maxima, UCC.

Publications

Lotty, M., McCormack, L., Campbell, L., & Stanley, D. (2024). Transforming the child welfare system from the inside out: Integrating trauma-informed practices into foster care services’ The Irish Social Worker, Winter, pp. 21-37. https://hdl.handle.net/10468/16695

Lotty, M., O’Shea, T., Frederico, M., & Kearns, N. (2024). Exploring the effects of a graduate level trauma-informed care education program for child welfare professionals. Children and Youth Services Review, 107821.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107821

Lotty, M., Kearns, N., & Frederico, M. (2024). Integrating Trauma-informed Practices in Child Welfare: A Process Study of Trauma-informed Care Graduate Education. Journal of Child Public Welfare, 1-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548732.2024.2372725

McCormack, L., Campbell, N. and Lotty, M. (2024) 'Trauma in the foster care system: finding positive ways forward in practice', Foster, 2024(15), pp. 54-63. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/10468/15782

Research Presentations

Lotty, M. & Price, A. (2025, 28 February) ‘Transforming child welfare practices: exploring co-creation methodological approaches for the TARA Project, Phase 2’. Research Dialogue Seminar - Crossing Disciplines and Specialisms, School of Applied Social Studies, University College Cork.

Lotty, M., (August 19, 2024). ‘Integrating Trauma-informed Practices into Irish Child Welfare Practice: Findings from the TARA Project’. Poster presented at the ISPCAN (International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect) International Congress, Sweden.

Lotty, M., (2024, May 2). ‘Integrating Trauma-informed Practices in the front-line practice: The TARA (Trauma, Attachment and Resilience into Action) Project: Findings and Learnings’. [invited keynote speaker] Longford Westmeath CYPSC (Children and Young People s Services Committee) Trauma-informed Care Conference, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath.

Lotty, M., Mc Cormack, L., Campbell, N.,  Stanley, D., (2024, March 1) ‘Integrating Trauma-informed Practices to support  Child Welfare Best Practice,’ [Keynote Speaker]. Paper presented NUIG and TUSLA, Child and Family Agency Joint Training Programme, online.

Lotty, M. & O’Donoghue, M. (2023, November 7). ‘Putting Resilience back in the headline towards an integrated holistic practice lens for Child and Families Services beyond a trauma centred lens’ Oral paper accepted for the 7^th Unity Through Relationship International Annual Conference 2023, Dublin.

Lotty, M. & Hayes, M., (2023, October 27). ‘Examining Professional Education in Trauma-informed Practice for Child Welfare and Protection Services: The Trauma, Attachment, Resilience into Action (TARA) Project’ Oral Paper accepted for the 9^th National Child Protection and Welfare Social Work Conference, University College Cork.

Lotty, M. (2023, September 24). ‘Moving from knowing to doing: Supporting Trauma-informed practice in the Irish front-line through TARA (Trauma, Attachment and Resilience into Action).’ Oral paper accepted for the ISPCAN International Congress, Edinburgh.

Funder

This Project is funded by Dublin South Central (DSC), TUSLA, Child and Family Agency

Project Team

• Dr Maria Lotty, Principal Investigator, School of Applied Social Studies and Institute of Social Science Research in the 21^st Century (ISS21) Research Associate, UCC.
• Professor Margarita Federico, International Oversight, La Trobe University, Australia
• Tadgh O’Shea, Statical Expert, Munter Technological University, Tralee Campus.
• Dr Aoife Price, Post-doctoral Researcher (Phase 2). Dr Noreen Kearns, Post-doctoral Researcher (Phase 1: 2022-2023).

For further details contact Dr Maria Lotty: maria.lotty@ucc.ie